You
by Hiromi Eats Bagels
Summary: AU VH. Sometimes what you're looking for is right in front of you. All you need to do is look.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or any of its characters.

A/N: Constructive criticism is appreciated, as are suggestions, questions and comments. It'd be nice to hear from you (:

Oh, and by the way. This is AU, and they may be a bit OCC, but I'm trying to make this as realistic (situation-wise) as possible. No sudden love-at-first-sights. (; Because the world doesn't work that way.

Read and review, please. Like I said, feedback takes but a minute of your time (:

You  
Chapter One

The worst part about not being in love, one might remark, would be the loneliness. The kind that slowly gnaws away at your inner gut as you watch an affectionate couple walk down the street on a cold January morning, fingers intertwined, eyes dancing with laughter and affection. But inside, in the back of your mind, you secretly wonder how long it will take before the euphoria of young love has dispersed, and they're too busy throwing angry, biting words at each other to remember how happy they used to be.

Or maybe you might find that same loneliness when you're "in love" as well, and you're left wondering why your relationship isn't working when someone else's is.

Her green eyes looked down on the street from her apartment window, watching the passer-byers stroll down the street, some walking hurriedly, some strolling leisurely. On such a morning, there were less people on the streets than usual. The fall semester at the nearby college had just ended, and many students had decided to go back home for the holidays.

Her eyes are immediately drawn to a pair of lovers, out for a walk in the frosty morning air. She touches the frosty pane, and leans her forehead against the cool surface, watching them laugh and whisper words of affection to each other. And those very dark, very cruel thoughts began to run though the back of her mind. How long, indeed. She had woken up an hour earlier than usual on this particular day, and had decided to indulge herself in a little bit of quiet by taking in the scenery. The grey, Saturday morning sky was especially cloudy, and she hoped that it would stay this way for the rest of the day. She had always loved cloudy days; there was a peaceful calm about them that she particularly loved. Unfortunately, 'calm' was something she rarely had, and given her particular situation, today had a feeling of gloom that had already settled itself in nicely.

Her alarm clock shrieked, and she jerked away from the window with a start. Then, she got up, crossed the room to her nightstand, and silenced it, switching off the alarm. Seven-thirty, her clock read. Better get moving. Hitomi Kanzaki tore her eyes away from the window, and headed to the bathroom to wash her face.

Fifteen minutes later, she emerged, dressed and lightly made-up. She walked into the kitchen, stretching her arms up over her head, before grabbing a bowl and fixing herself a bowl of cereal. After pouring herself a nice glass of orange juice, she settled herself comfortably on a tall chair by the kitchen counter. Upon the counter, near the disconnected telephone, lay an answering machine with the number '5' flashing in red on its display. It had been a week since she had answered the phone or checked her messages, plenty of time for her to brood and contemplate her next course of action. Hitomi calmly took a bite of her Honey-Nut Cheerios before pressing the play button.

"Tuesday, Nine-twenty-two, PM", the machine recited. Then, a male voice filled the room.

"_Hitomi, please. You haven't answered any of my calls all day. Look, I'm really, really sorry about what I did. I know it was really selfish of me, and I had no right to do that to you. I know it's going to be hard for you to forgive me, but can't you just hear me out? Love is all about making mistakes, and overcoming them together, right? I believe in what we have, Hitomi. We can make it work, if you give it another chance. Call me back when you get this, okay?"_ Beep.

Hitomi didn't look up, and continued to munch on her cereal, nonchalantly, waiting for the next message to play.

"Thursday, Eleven-thirty-seven, AM", the machine continued. The same male voice flowed into the room.

"_I just talked to Yukari, and you've disconnected your telephone all this time? Hitomi, you're being ridiculous. It's eleven; you should be home by now. Why aren't you picking up my calls? I've admitted that what I did was uncalled for, but now, you're just acting unreasonable. I know you've at least gotten my last message. What I'm asking from you is very little, Hitomi. I'm asking you to be understanding so we can get through this together. I love you, Hitomi, and I want you in my life. Call me back, please, I need to talk to you." _ Beep.

Hitomi rolled her eyes. She got up to place her spoon and now-empty bowl in the sink, and returned to her seat to finish her orange juice as the next message began to play.

"Friday, Three-fifteen, PM", the machine noted. Again, the male voice filled the room.

"_Hitomi, stop this. You can't avoid me forever. I stopped by personally today, and no one was home. Either you're avoiding me, or you really weren't home. I really hope it's the latter, Hitomi. I didn't have your apartment's spare key with me at the moment, so I couldn't check inside, but I wouldn't invade your privacy like that, and you know it. Especially not at a time like this. Hitomi, you've had enough time to calm down at the very least, and I've had my share of guilt. It's time to make things better, Hitomi. Let's talk over dinner – it'll be my treat. Let me know when you're available." _Beep.

She downed the rest of her orange juice and placed the glass in the sink, alongside her bowl. The messages continued.

"Friday, Six-fifty-one, PM", the machine announced. This time, a worried female began to speak.

"Hitomi, this is Yukari. I'm so, so, so sorry. I didn't find out what happened between you and Allen until after he called me. I noticed your telephone was disconnected, and I didn't realize you were trying to avoid him. He's probably been calling non-stop, huh? Well, he's been showing up at the coffee shop quite often, looking for you. But anyways, I called to let you know that I can't keep covering for you. I told the Gerie you were sick, but it's been almost a week. You need to come back to work by Monday, or she may…not be so happy with you. I hope to see you then – I'll help you out if Allen shows up – but remember, it's not worth losing your job just because you want to avoid the guy." Beep. 

Hitomi smiled slightly at hearing her friend's voice and impatiently waited for the last message to play.

"Friday, Nine-oh-four, PM", the machine concluded. A male voice began to speak, and Hitomi groaned. She couldn't take another message from Allen.

"_Hitomi, please, lis-"_, the message began, before her finger quickly hit the 'Skip' button. Three messages were enough – she knew the general idea of what the fourth would be like.

Hitomi sighed, and leaned back in her chair. A floral scent filled her senses, and she looked over by her front door, where many bouquets of roses were stacked. They were particularly large bouquets – no doubt expensive – and they had arrived each morning at precisely nine in the morning. The doorbell would ring, and by the time she had crawled out of bed to answer it, the floral delivery boy had left (she had seen the car driving off the second morning, and realized that Allen didn't even have to consideration to deliver them himself), and a bouquet had been left on her doorstep, along with a card from Allen. These cards held messages that begged her forgiveness and made promises that she knew would never be fulfilled. Not that she ever bothered to read them; Allen was just too typical and predictable.

Each bouquet was a different color – pink, red, yellow, and even one bouquet was dyed blue. However, Hitomi found it ironic that after a whole year of dating and countless reminders, Allen had forgotten that Hitomi hated flowers. An even more unforgivable fact was that out of all the colors he had picked, he had missed her favorite one – green. Not that a green rose would look particularly attractive, but at least it would have meant that he'd gotten something right about her. But Allen wasn't the type who would understand – in fact, Hitomi doubted that she would ever find a man that would.

It had all started about a year ago. Hitomi had been introduced to Allen through a mutual friend during the end of her third year of college, and they had gotten along great. Because they had clicked so well, they had started dating not long after their meeting. At first, she was happy, but after a while, Hitomi began to feel as if she was losing interest in him. She had felt guilty for this thought, and quickly convinced herself that it happened frequently in many relationships. She just had to bear with it, and she'd be happy again, right?

Wrong.

She couldn't fake herself into feeling happy. Hitomi knew Allen didn't deserve this from her, and tried her best to be there for him like a girlfriend should. But, no matter how hard she tried, their dates became more and more infrequent, and their calls increasingly shorter. Hitomi blamed herself, blindly believing that it was her fault it ended up like this.

Then, it happened. The very recent event that led up to her current situation.

Allen called her a week before her birthday to let her know that he was going to take her out for dinner. Hitomi had happily agreed, and cleared the day of any plans. Hell, she had even blown off her best friend's invitation to a weekend in Hawaii for dinner with Allen. The day rolled around, and Hitomi stood waiting by her door, beautifully dressed and ready to leave.

Six o'clock, the promised time, and he wasn't there. Hitomi smiled; he'll be here any minute, she thought. A little waiting never hurt anyone.

Seven o'clock. There's probably traffic. He'll be here soon.

Eight o'clock. She thought back and suddenly remembered all the times he had canceled on her in the past, and how she had so readily forgave him. How had she forgotten?

Nine o'clock, the phone rang. It was Allen's secretary, who informed her in a clipped voice that Allen was sorry, and that he was unable to meet her. Try again tomorrow. Hitomi had returned to the restroom to wash away the make-up and undo the hair that had taken her an hour, and gone directly to bed, too frustrated to think.

The next morning, she called him. He had picked up on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Allen, it's Hitomi. About yesterday…what happened? I thought we had plans together."

"Sorry, honey," he had replied, "my schedule was full. I forgot to tell you. I told Edna, my secretary to call you. Did you get my message?"

"Yes, but-" Hitomi started, but Allen swiftly cut her off.

"Good. We'll talk another time. I'm in a meeting right now. Listen, I'll make it up to you. I'll check my schedule, see when I'm open, and we'll-"

Hitomi had promptly hung up on him. How dare he, that son of a bitch. She wasn't a time-slot filler that could be so easily replaced. She was supposed to be his girlfriend, dammit, his girlfriend! Didn't he have ANY sense of obligation towards her? More importantly, it was her birthday he was rescheduling. Out of all days, her birthday! She had passed up Hawaii for a date with him, and he had stood her up!

Hitomi's phone had rung again, and upon seeing his name on her caller id had promptly disconnected her phone. Then she had gone back to her room to sulk, not bothering to stay around to listen to his message.

The sulking didn't last long, and by the third day of her social isolation, she was embittered and tired. Apparently none of her relationships were fated to have a happy ending, so why bother? The bouquets started showing up on her doorstep, and she had tossed every single one aside, resulting in the now growing pile by her front door. It had taken a while, but she now knew that her year with Allen had been for nothing. He obviously didn't know, much less understood, a damn thing about her. If he had actually listened, he would have known that she hated flowers.

Which is what brings us to this very special day.

Hitomi was up early today, not because she had decided to go to work, but because she was waiting for the flower delivery boy.

She checked the clock. Eight-fifty-five AM. Time to go wait by the door. After a few minutes of staring at the wood flooring of her apartment, she finally heard the sound of a car pulling up to the curb by her apartment complex. She waited until she heard his footsteps coming before whipping open the door.

"Excuse me." Hitomi leaned against the doorway, watching him.

The stranger was in the middle of placing them on her doorstep when the door had opened, and he straightened up in mid-bend to look at her. He was dressed rather casually in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. It would have been quite easy to mistaken him for an average guy who had just knocked on the wrong door if not for the jacket he was wearing. On the jacket, the words, "Winged Florist" was embroidered, confirming his employment.

"Oh, these are for you, from Allen. I assumed you wouldn't be home again, so I was just going to leave them out here…" The man tried to hand the bouquet to Hitomi, but her hand pushed it away firmly, her emerald eyes blazing.

"I. Hate. Flowers." She said, glaring at him.

Maroon eyes watched her inquisitively with a spark of budding annoyance. "So?"

"So, I want you to tell Allen to stop delivering them. Tell him to give up, it's over." Hitomi stated firmly.

"Look, I'm just the delivery guy, alright? If you want to tell your loverboy something, go tell him yourself. He paid for these, I'm delivering them. That's my job. End of story." The man pushed the bouquet into her hands again, but Hitomi pushed it away.

"Fine. But hold on for a minute." Hitomi said, and went to grab a piece of paper. She quickly jotted a note down and handed it to the delivery man. "Can you at least give this to him then?"

"Sure, but just take the flowers, okay?" The man answered, shoving the bouquet into her hands and grabbing the note.

"Thanks."

"No problem." He answered over his shoulder, already walking away.

Hitomi shut the door, and promptly threw the bouquet into the pile by the door.

* * *

Outside, the man was getting into his car when he glanced at the note in his hand. After a moment's deliberation, he opened it and read it, figuring that a small peek wouldn't hurt.

_Fuck off. _

_Love, Hitomi_.

The man chuckled quietly. Short and to the point. This Allen guy must have done something pretty bad. Not that it was any of his business, he thought hastily.

He put the note away, and shaking his unruly dark hair out of his eyes, he started his car and continued on his route.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Never have, never will.

A/N: It was great hearing from you guys last time! (: Thank you so much. This is the second installment. A bit shorter than that last one, sorry. And I know most of you were expecting to see Van meet Hitomi again later in the story, but I'm doing it this way because I have the plot in mind already. Hope you guys like it! Read and Review, yeah? (: Thanks and enjoy.

You  
Chapter Two

Hitomi got up on Monday morning and went through her morning routine quite reluctantly. After a weekend to think, she had finally come to the decision that losing her job wasn't quite worth it; after all, she still had some bills to pay. She wasn't about to go crawling back to her parents asking for money. After four years of independence, taking responsibility for her own life was a given.

A fourth-year college student, she lived by herself in her apartment. Yukari, her best friend had offered to room with her, but Hitomi had refused. Hitomi was used to solitude, and it was simply easier for her just to live that way.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she sighed. She smoothed out her black pencil skirt and straightened her untucked white button-up dress shirt. This was her usual work attire for her job at the coffee shop, and she actually liked her uniform. She always felt much more focused when she was dressed that way. Hitomi ran a hand through her short, honey-colored hair and after a few more moments of self-scrutiny, grabbed her purse, and left her apartment.

The sky was sunny for a Monday morning, and these streets, as usual, lacked the bustle of students that showed up during the school year. Hitomi looked up at the clouds, sighing softly as a cool breeze passed over her, ruffling her hair a bit before going on its way. If all days could be like this…

After ten more minutes of walking, Hitomi reached the coffee shop, and was immediately greeted with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Yukari was already fixing up a latte for a customer, and looked up when Hitomi walked in.

"Hey! So you did show up!" Yukari cheered as she placed a lid onto the cup she had just filled. "Gerie's looking for you."

Hitomi nodded, and walked into the back room. Gerie was the owner of the coffee shop, and had hired Hitomi at Yukari's recommendation. Already well into her forties, she was a very understanding employer and genuinely cared about her employees. Her boss, who was sitting at a table looking over some paperwork, looked up when Hitomi walked in.

"Hey Gerie." Hitomi smiled weakly.

Gerie looked up at her over her glasses, and smiled. "You feeling better?"

Hitomi nodded. "Sorry I didn't call."

"It's fine. Yukari told me." Gerie assured her. "I actually have something I want you do for me. Saya's out sick for the week. Poor girl, I think something's going around. Anyways, she usually does the local deliveries, and I was wondering if you minded covering for her."

Hitomi flushed guiltily, knowing that she herself hadn't actually been sick at all. She readily agreed to the task, figuring that at least this way, she could make up for ditching work. She walked back into the shop, and Yukari motioned to the tray of beverages on the counter.

"The addresses are attached to them. If Allen shows up, at least you'll be gone. But if you come back, check through the window. If he's here, just come around through the back."

Hitomi nodded, and grabbed the tray, glancing at the address. "1504 Main Street," She read, and went immediately on her way. She knew the streets pretty well after living here for a few years, and it wasn't long before she reached her destination.

The door jingled as she opened it, and she walked inside to find herself in a flower shop. Oh god, she was surrounded. Roses, roses everywhere, and flowers of every kind. Cheery daffodils waved merrily, and birds of paradises stretched their majestic petals skywards. Hiding her discomfort, she placed the tray on the front counter, looking for any sign that someone was there.

"Hello?" She called. "Anyone there?"

"I'll be there in a second," A female voice called back. Hitomi heard rustling and the sounds of falling objects before a slightly ruffled young woman came out to greet her.

"Sorry. Ooh! You brought the coffees!" The woman exclaimed. "How much will it be?"

"Twenty-eight fifty." Hitomi said, and the young woman opened the cash register, counting out the payment.

The door jingled behind her, and Hitomi heard someone walk in. She resisted the urge to turn around, afraid that it could be Allen. After all, he'd been purchasing those bouquets from this very shop.

"I'm back, Merle." A male voice said, and Hitomi felt herself release the breath that she didn't even know she had been holding. That wasn't Allen's voice.

She turned around to glance at the man who had just entered, and frowned.

The man noticed the look on her face. "What?"

"You look familiar…" Hitomi trailed off. She knew she had seen him somewhere but she just couldn't place where…

The man grinned. "I'm the delivery guy, remember? Miss I-hate-flowers?"

Hitomi bristled at the nickname. "Oh," she replied frostily, "_that_ guy."

"I'm Van Fanel." The man said, pretending not to notice her tone of voice. He extended a hand towards her for a handshake. "And you are…?"

Hitomi saw his hand, but made no move to grasp it. "Sorry, I'm not interested", she said bluntly, and swiftly turned back to the woman at the counter.

Van was caught by surprise before her rudeness dawned on him. "Wait. Excuse me?"

"You're excused." Hitomi shot back, not even bothering to face him as she said this.

"I never said-", Van began to protest, but he was suddenly cut off by Merle.

"BEHAVE, children." The woman scolded. Hitomi and Van both fell silent. After a pause, Van was the first to make a move.

"Whatever..." He mumbled, briskly walking past her to the back of the shop, and up the stairs.

The woman sighed, and handed the money over to Hitomi. Hitomi bit her lip as she accepted the payment. Maybe she shouldn't of been so harsh. A wave of guilt washed over her. 'Too late now,' she thought.

"You know, I've heard about you." The woman mentioned suddenly.

"Oh?" Hitomi raised an eyebrow. "What did you hear?"

"That you're the girl that's been receiving all those bouquets from our shop." The woman said, giggling. "He didn't come back to order any more after Saturday's delivery, though. Van told me that he helped you passed along a note."

Hitomi smiled weakly. "That's me."

"What did the note say? Just out of curiosity. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Though I heard that your man got pretty angry…"

Hitomi smirked. "I told him to fuck off. I think it worked."

The woman laughed. "Well, it may have worked this time, but be careful next time. It could get pretty ugly if you try pulling the same trick on someone else who, say, might not take it as lightly. You could get hurt."

"I'll keep that in mind. Well, it was nice meeting you. Merle, was it?"

"Yes. And you're Hitomi, am I correct?"

Hitomi nodded. "See you around." She turned to leave.

"Oh wait. I have something I want to ask you." Merle called out.

Hitomi turned back to face her. "Yes?"

"Well, if you don't mind me asking…why did Van say that you hated flowers?" Merle asked carefully.

Hitomi stiffened. "I have to go." She mumbled, and hurried out the door before Merle could say anything more.

* * *

Yukari was waiting for her when she returned. "Welcome back! How was your first local run?" 

"It was alright." Hitomi said as she walked behind the counter. She grabbed her apron, and put it on. "I'm guessing Allen didn't show up?"

"Nope. But trust me when I say that he's moved on."

Hitomi looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean? How do you know?"

"Well. A customer was still counting out her money, so I happened to glance at the window, and I saw Allen walking by with a girl latched on to his arm." Yukari said, watching her friend's face.

Hitomi was silent for a moment. "Well," she finally said, "he never was the type to wait around." She walked back around the counter towards the tables with a washcloth and a small bin of warm water in hand. For a while, neither of them spoke. The sounds of the seated customers filled the silence, as Hitomi began wiping off the tables of the customers that had just left. She thought about what her friend had just said. Was she sad? Was she angry? Even jealous? But she felt nothing, not even a flicker of happiness for him. One year of being emotionally confused had taken its toll on her, and she couldn't bring herself to feel anything towards any news about Allen. Even if he had found someone new, it had nothing to do with her anyways.

Hitomi finished cleaning the tables, and brought the bin and washcloth back around the counter. She dumped out the contents of the bin, rinsed out the cloth, and began to wash her hands.

"Are you okay?" Yukari finally asked her friend, concern in her eyes.

Hitomi turned and looked at Yukari. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." She dried off her hands, and Yukari handed her a ticket with the next orders on it. Hitomi proceeded to prepare the drinks, and Yukari decided to let the subject drop.

* * *

Later that evening, Hitomi was the last one to leave the shop. Gerie had left early due to a headache, and left Hitomi specific instructions on how to lock up. Yukari had left even earlier; her shift had ended much earlier than Hitomi's. 

After balancing the cash register, locking the money up in the safe and shutting off the lights. Hitomi grabbed her bag, keys in hand, and stepped outside. It was only ten in the evening, and the sky was already dark. The only lights that illuminated the snow-covered streets were the street lights and bright signs from stores that closed much later than the coffee shop did. Hitomi exhaled, and a cloud of her warm breath floated away from her. Wishing that she had at least made herself a hot chocolate before she left, she locked up the doors. After giving the handle a pull to make sure that it was really locked, she turned to leave, but stopped.

She turned slowly towards the sidewalk. There was a man standing there, a few feet away from her. The poor illumination from the street light did not fall upon his face, and it was difficult for her to make out who he was. But her breath caught in her throat once her eyes recognized his face.

"Good evening, Hitomi." He said.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't sue, please.

A/N: Third chapter. Last chapter had a bit of a cliffhanger, didn't it? This chapter's a little slower coming out (sorry) because I had something typed out, and then I realized this past weekend that it didn't work. So I scrapped it and started over. I hope this one's better. Anyways, thanks so, so, so much for the reviews (: I enjoy getting feedback!

Enjoy the story.

You  
Chapter Three

"Good evening, Hitomi." He said.

Hitomi paused, unsure of what to say. She finally settled with, "What are you doing here, Van?"

Van grinned and motioned to the coffee shop. "I just got off work and I was going to stop by for some hot chocolate, but it seems like I'm too late."

Hitomi smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I already closed up for the night and everything."

"It's alright." Van shrugged, looking out at the empty street.

"Look, um…" Hitomi began, but Van interrupted her.

"You're not interested. It's fine. I get it." He said briskly, and walked off.

Hitomi was too stunned for words. Guilt tore at her insides, as her mind registered that this experience was faintly reminiscent of the occurrence at the floral shop. Except this time, she was the one being brushed off. Hitomi opened her mouth to call after him, to make him come back. The words formed in her mind, but no words would leave her lips, and she could only watch as he disappeared around the corner.

The cold wind picked up, and Hitomi shivered, pulling her coat tighter around her body. The sidewalk was dark and void of people, poorly illuminated by the occasional streetlamp. After staring that the corner for a few more seconds, she turned on her heel and walked home, trying to ignore the ache that had now settled itself in her heart.

* * *

Snow began to fall upon the town, and Hitomi didn't see Van again for the rest of that week. Whether it was a subconscious urge to avoid meeting him or pure coincidence, she didn't know. But either way, she found herself too busy to be worrying about those kinds of things. With the arrival of the cold weather came also an influx of customers into the coffee shop looking to warm themselves. Hitomi, still entrusted with the extra duty of deliveries, struggled between helping out Yukari and Geri at the now crowded shop and delivering the drinks before they got too cold. 

After a few days of this, however, Hitomi noticed that Merle's floral shop had disappeared off her delivery route. She contemplating dropping by, but the events that occurred earlier that week would replay themselves inside her head, and she would immediately reconsider. 'It's not as if he cares anyways.' Hitomi thought as she walked briskly towards her next delivery destination, 'Things are better off this way.'

However, by Friday Hitomi couldn't take it anymore; guilt had overridden her resolve. She ended her shift at the coffee shop early, and headed over to the floral shop.

The door jingled merrily as usual, and the sight of the flowers irritated her…as usual. Merle was curled up in a chair behind the front counter, engrossed in a magazine. Hitomi walked up to the counter, and when Merle still made no acknowledgement of her presence, she cleared her throat.

Merle gave a start, and quickly shoved the magazine under the counter. "Hey Hitomi. What do you need?"

Hitomi fiddled with the edge of her coat nervously. "Is Van here?" She asked tentatively.

"No, you just missed him. Is something wrong?" Merle asked, frowning.

"No, nothing's wrong." Hitomi tried to change the subject. "Oh, hey, I haven't seen you around the coffee shop lately."

Merle gave her a surprised look. "Are you kidding me? I buy from you guys every day!"

"Really? But you're not on my route anymore…" Hitomi said confusedly.

Merle smiled. "Well. I didn't want you trudging through all that snow. So I go there in person every morning."

"Oh," Hitomi smiled, slightly surprised at her concern, "but really, I don't mind delivering for you. I mean, other-"

"It's _fine_. Don't worry about it." Merle said reassuringly. "So what's the real reason for your visit?"

Hitomi flushed. "I saw Van on Monday." She admitted quietly.

"And I'm guessing things didn't go too well?" Merle asked knowingly.

"Yeah. He wanted to get some hot chocolate, but I had already closed up. I was about to offer to open the shop back up for him, but I guess he thought I was going to bite his head off again, so he left. He didn't seem too happy with me either." Hitomi sighed.

"Don't worry too much about it." Merle grinned. "But hey, you want to know something interesting?"

"Sure."

"Van doesn't even like hot chocolate."

* * *

Hitomi walked away from the floral shop, her mind a bedlam of clashing thoughts and answers. Van didn't like hot chocolate. Then why did he come to find her that night? Maybe to talk, or maybe he was on his way somewhere when he saw her? No, no that can't be right. He came from work, and he headed back towards the floral shop when he left. And why did he leave so quickly? Why..? 

Hitomi found herself at the door of her apartment. She dug in her purse for the keys, panicking for a second when she couldn't find them. Her hands found them a second later, and she quickly unlocked the door. She stepped inside, shut the door, and tossed her purse on the sofa. Her stomach mumbled something incoherent, and she headed towards the kitchen to find something to eat.

Hitomi was spreading peanut butter on a slice of bread when her doorbell rang. She placed the toast and the knife down on the plate, quickly brushed her hands off, and walked cautiously towards the door. She tiptoed and peered through the eye hole.

And found a magenta eye staring right back at her. Hitomi jumped away from the door, shrieking in shock when she faintly heard laughter on the other side of the door. Wait. That laugh sounded familiar. Crazy, diabolical...yep, it definitely rang a bell.

She yanked open the door, and a young man with silvery hair grinned at her, arms outstretched. "Dearest cousin of mine," He exclaimed loudly, "I have greatly missed-"

Hitomi promptly shut the door in his face.

"Okay, okay. I'm calm, I'm sorry. Can I come in please?" His muffled voice pleaded through the door.

Hitomi sighed, and opened the door to let her cousin in. She gestured to the couch, and sat adjacent to him on another sofa. Her sandwich would have to wait.

"Why are you here, Dilandau?" Hitomi asked. "How did you know I lived here? And you didn't even bother to at least call before showing up?"

Dilandau raised an eyebrow. "I did call. You didn't pick up so I left a message."

Hitomi glanced over at her answering machine. An angry red numeral was flashing on the display. Then she noticed that her phone was still disconnected. Oops.

"Anyways," Dilandau continued, "I'm here for college! I begin when spring semester does!"

Hitomi looked at him warily. "You _do_ have a place to stay, right?"

Dilandau avoided her gaze. "Well, that does seem to be a bit of a problem right now…"

"_DILANDAU!_"

"OKAY, OKAY! I was supposed to stay with a friend of mine, but he's kind of kicking me out…"

"What did you do?" Hitomi groaned.

"Nothing…bad." Dilandau stared at the vase across the room, scratching his head. He seemed quite eager the avoid the subject.

Hitomi almost growled at him. Dilandau chose this exact moment to glance over at Hitomi – assuming that it was safe because she had not said anything – but paled when he saw the look on her face.

"I-I…I walked in on his girlfriend changing, okay?" Dilandau flushed. "I was looked for one of my books, and I walked into one of his guest rooms, and…well…" He winched as he touched a spot on his head that was apparently still tender. "I found out how painful cell phones can be when they're thrown to kill. I'm just sad that the cell phone didn't break. And then after injuring me, do you know what she does? That little bitch accuses me of peeping! Can you believe that?! The nerve of her! Like _she_ has anything worth loo-"

"And he kicked you out right after?" Hitomi interrupted his rant swiftly.

Dilandau nodded, his expression still sour from the memory. Hitomi sighed and went on.

"I don't have any extra guest rooms in this apartment. I've lived alone ever since I've moved in. If you'd like to stay, you could sleep on the couch, or I could pull the air mattress out for you."

Dilandau's eyes lit up. "The sofa will do. Don't worry about a thing, Hitomi, it'll be like I'm not here at all! I'll keep out of your way, and I'll do all my own laundry and everything!"

"Alright. But! There's one condition. You need to find your own place within three months. I can't keep looking after you forever." Hitomi pursed her lips, and formed what she hoped to be a serious expression on her face. Her cousin looked a bit put-out by that piece of information, but he agreed.

"Okay then!" Hitomi stood up. "So where did you leave your stuff?"

"It's back at his place. We'll just go get it and-"

"There will be no need for that." A male voice smoothly interjected.

The two looked up simultaneously, and Hitomi immediately blanched at a sudden realization.

She had forgotten to lock the door when she had let Dilandau in.

And Allen Schezar, who was now standing in her doorway, had not even bothered to knock.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne.

A/N: Ehh. I know. I'm late. But school's looming over me, and I'm struggling to finish my summer homework. I'll try to post this one asap, but another update may take just a little bit longer. Thank you so much for all your reviews; I really appreciate it. (:

You  
Chapter Four

Allen stood calmly in her doorway, suitcases and bags in hand. For a few moments it was silent. No one said a word, and Hitomi was still registering the shock that had just swept through her body. His eyes swept lazily across the room, lingering on her. Their eyes met, but after a few moments, she looked away; his gaze pierced into her soul uncomfortably, and it felt as if he could see right through her actions. Allen took this as a sign of victory, and made the first move.

"Aren't you going to invite me in, Hitomi?" Allen asked smoothly. His remark sparked fury within her, and she looked up so that their eyes met again, this time, in defiance. There was no way in hell she was going down without a challenge.

"Get out." She said, almost inaudibly. Her hands balled into fists as rage began course though her. If Allen noticed the change in her mood, he made no sign, but simply continued on.

"Don't be like that, Hitomi. We need to talk any-"

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" Hitomi screamed, cutting him off. She automatically reached for the stapler on the table next to her, and was right about to throw it when Dilandau's hand stopped hers.

"Allen, I think you should just drop off the stuff and go." Dilandau muttered, gesturing to the suitcases. Allen shrugged, set the luggage down by the door, and with a final, nonchalant swish of the hair, he left with a loud slamming of the door.

A stapler immediately hit the closed door, right where Allen's head had been a second earlier. Hitomi had broken Dilandau's hold on her arm and had missed, much to her dismay. Dilandau sighed, and went over to retrieve the stapler and inspect the damage on the door. He gave a low whistle.

"You left a crack on the door. Good arm." He looked back over to his cousin, and she was busy grabbing her things.

"Where are you going?" Dilandau asked, frowning.

"Out," was her curt reply. She tossed the spare key to Dilandau, and he caught it easily. "Order out if you want food. Lock the door if you go out." Hitomi said, before she shut the door behind her.

Dilandau stood in the living room for a few minutes, wondering why his cousin was in such a bad mood. He shrugged, and flopped down on the couch to take a nap. 'Not my problem,' he tried to convince himself, 'Not my problem at all.'

* * *

Hitomi was walking, but she didn't know where. All she knew was that she wanted to get away. She walked briskly, the heels of her boots clicking against the concrete sidewalk, her toes crunching against the bits of snow that had not been cleared away. The sky was just beginning to darken, and the air was getting colder. As she walked, the lights around her became brighter, and she slowed her pace. Hitomi was now in the center of her town, and here, the streets were brightly illuminated. She slowed her pace, and headed for the park. 

The entrance was adorned with wreaths and lights, welcoming the coming Christmas holidays. But 'cheerful' was the last mood on Hitomi's mind, and she just walked right past them. She reached the center of the park, and discovered that the lake had been frozen, and was now being used as an ice skating rink. People were pouring into the park, in couples and families, and Hitomi grumbled. She had wanted some peace and quiet, but having walked all the way out here, she didn't want to turn back.

Grumbling, she settled herself on a nearby bench, and watched the people around her. Couples giggled, fingers interlocked, as they struggled not to fall on the ice. One man spun his blushing girlfriend around and kissed her. Another man slipped and fell on the ice, dragging his girlfriend down with him. But instead of being angry, the girl simply laughed, and helped him up. Hitomi tore her eyes away from them. She was beginning to regret staying. Her mind wandered back to her days with Allen, as she stared up at the fading sky. Would he have ever taken her ice skating? Would he spin her around, and kiss her? Would he fall as she laughed merrily?

Would she have been happy?

And the answers to all those questions was no, and the resonance of that answer sent her heart into depression. She blinked back unwanted tears. A year wasted. Sighing, she checked her watch. 6:23pm. Hitomi had been out for about an hour. She stood up to leave, but a strong arm pulled at her arm, and she fell back onto the bench. Her head whipped to her right, angry words ready on her lips.

"Hey." Van Fanel said quietly. He was smiling. Hitomi had been so lost in her thoughts that she had not noticed him sit down next to her.

The angry words died on her lips, and she found herself at a loss of words. Hitomi had never before found herself to be as vulnerable as she was at that moment. There were so many things she needed to say, and yet she couldn't find the words that would do her feelings justice. So she settled for the simplest words she could find.

"I'm sorry." Hitomi whispered. The park was noisy with laughter and screams, but her whisper reached his ears. He nodded in acceptance of her apology.

"I'm Van. Van Fanel." He grinned at her.

"I'm Hitomi. Hitomi Kanzaki." She replied, returning his smile. It was almost contagious. She felt herself relaxing under his gaze. His eyes were different. They weren't cold and piercing like Allen's, but they were warm and sincere.

Suddenly, he stood up, and pulled her along with him as he walked.

"Hey, wait! What are you doing!?" Hitomi protested, but he kept walking towards the rink. He stopped in front of the booth, and turned back towards her.

"What's your shoe size?"

"Uhh…8? Van, what are you doing?" Hitomi asked again. Van ignored her, and spoke to the man behind the counter. He handed Van two pairs of skates, and Van dragged her to a bench close to the rink. He handed her a pair of skates, and put on his own. Hitomi just stared at him. After he was done, he finally looked over at her.

"What? Put them on."

"But…I don't know how to ice skate." Hitomi objected weakly. Van smiled at this, and leaned in towards her.

"Then I'll teach you." He got up and kneeled down before her. He pulled her boots off, and helped her put on the skates and lace them, almost as if she were a little kid. Hitomi blushed.

"I can do it myself." She mumbled. Van paused, then got up to sit next to her on the bench. Hitomi finished lacing up the first boot, and tied it tightly. She then started on the second shoe, but just as she was about to tie it, she heard Van cough. She looked over at him questioningly.

"You need to tie it tighter." He said, pointing to the laces.

"They're tight enough." Hitomi argued, and finished tying her second skate. He simply shrugged at her reply.

"Whatever you say, princess."

Hitomi snorted. "Princess?!"

Van said nothing, but pulled her gently towards the rink. Hitomi found herself clutching on to his arm for dear life as she tried taking her first few steps.

"I can't do this! I don't want to fall!" Hitomi squealed, as Van tried to pry her hands off his arm.

"Relax. You won't fall." Van reassured her. "It's kind of like walking. Or rollerblading. You just have to keep your balance, and you'll get the hang of it."

"And what if I fall?" Hitomi asked. Her eyes looked into his, silently asking for reassurance.

"I'll catch you." His words calmed her. She was going to hold him to that promise. She looked at the way other people skated, and tried to imitate their movements. After a few shaky steps, she finally succeeded in learning how to glide somewhat smoothly on the ice. Excitement at her accomplishment bubbled up inside of her, and she immediately looked up to find Van, eager to share the news. After a few moments, she caught his eye in the crowd.

"Van! I did it! I-" Hitomi's words turned into a yelp of surprise, as she collided into a couple. Hitomi faintly felt a falling sensation, before she felt strong arms pull her up. She turned, expecting to see Van, but it was only a stranger who had happened to be nearby.

"Be careful now, little missy!" The stranger called, as he skated away.

Hitomi quickly apologized to the couple she had knocked over, and immediately started looking for Van. She didn't have to look long, however, and within a few seconds he had skated up to her, a look of concern in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" He put his hands on her shoulders, and looked intently into her eyes.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Hitomi said absentmindedly, staring down at her skates and pretending to brush herself off. He had promised to catch her. Of course, there was no way he could have gotten there that fast, but still. Hitomi didn't understand why she was selfishly clinging to such a ridiculous notion, but she couldn't help it. A promise was a promise, and disappointment had found its home in her heart again.

She looked up to meet his eyes, and neither of them spoke. Hitomi could read the emotions in his eyes; they were as clear as day, just like her own eyes.

Van broke his gaze, and tugged at her hand. She followed, and they skated in silence around the rink. Around, and around they went, in circles. No words were exchanged; they were superfluous. His hand tightened on hers. She smiled, and squeezed his hand in return.

She never wanted to let this moment go.


End file.
